The research vessel Melville recently returned to its home at Point Loma from a 33 day expedition and is quickly preparing to leave on a new trip. Melville leaves on June 18 to study the California Current, which plays a major role in climate change and the health of the marine ecosystem.

The ship, which was built in 1969, left Valparaiso, Chile in April to perform research on so-called NOAA DART moorings, which scientists use to detect tsunamis. Scripps says in a statement that the "Valparaiso-to-San Diego leg (of the expedition) involved sailing about 15,000 nautical miles to visit several moorings between Chile and the United States.